Êxodo 23
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Êxodo 23
Spurgeon comments - They were to have enough for the year of rest, and for the next year in which the harvest was growing, and still to have something over for the ninth year. They scarcely could want as much as that; but God would give them more than they actually needed, exceeding abundantly above what they asked or even thought. That Sabbatical year had other blessings connected with it. Let us read about them in the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter fifteen Deuteronomy 31:10-13 Then Moses commanded them, saying, “At the end of every seven years, at the time of the year of remission of debts, at the Feast of Booths, 11 when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place which He will choose, you shall read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. 12 “Assemble the people, the men and the women and children and the alien who is in your town, so that they may hear and learn and fear the LORD your God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law. 13 “Their children, who have not known, will hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live on the land which you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.” THOUGHT - Note the additional feature that every seventh year debts were to be forgiven. We have already learned that a slave was to be released on the seventh year. Here God says read these laws at the Feast of Booths and note the effect - hear > fear > obey. That order is still valid. Too few today even "hear" (read it themselves) and thus they do not learn to "fear" the LORD and they have far less motivation to obey the LORD. You might say it is not good to fear the LORD, for perfect love casts out all fear. Yes, that is true, but if we love Him, we fear Him reverentially and we will obey for Jesus said "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." (John 14:15). But - Term of contrast, in this case 6 years versus 1 year and work versus rest for field and people. On the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow - Fallow means marked by inactivity; plowed unseeded land. This truth is repeated in Leviticus "‘Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard." (Lev 25:3,4) Rest (08058)(shamat) means to let drop and so to drop something (or someone) or to throw down and then to cancel or to release. It also can mean to stumble; to let fall. In context the land is to lie free and untilled. It is used in its absolute participial form as a command, shall release, will release (a debt) (Dt 15:2). It means to knock something over, e.g., the ark (2 Sa 6:6; 1 Chr 13:9). It is used of tossing something down (2 Ki 9:33); in a figurative sense, it means removed from power (Ps 141:6). It indicates letting go of something, losing it. In context Israel loses her inheritance from the Lord, gives it up under force (Jer 17:4). Gilbrant - The verb shāmat means "to release," "to let rest," "to drop." Cognates are attested in Middle Hebrew, Jewish Aramaic, Akkadian and Arabic. As the Israelites brought back the Ark of God from the house of Abinadab to Jerusalem, they placed it upon a cart drawn by oxen. This procedure was not appropriate according to the Law, since it was supposed to be carried on poles by Levites (Num. 4). As the entire entourage processed in celebration, Uzzah, one of Abinadab's sons, put his hand on the Ark because the oxen stumbled (2 Sam. 6:6). The proper translation for "stumbled" is the oxen "kicked," which means they "were restive." Hence, the oxen became agitated or restive and moved recklessly or irregularly. Shāmat also means "to cast," "to throw down," such as in the case of Jezebel, wicked wife of Ahab, who was thrown down from an upper story of her palace by command of Jehu (2 Ki. 9:33). The inhabitants of Judah, just before they were exiled to Babylon, clung tightly to their wealth for security and identity, rather than clinging to the Lord. Jeremiah's prophecy informed them that God, in punishment for their sins, was going to make all their wealth a spoil for their enemies: "You shall loosen your hand from your heritage which I gave you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land which you do not know" (Jer. 17:4). The loosening of the hands pictures an object falling from a tight grip which has been released. Using a similar figure of speech, the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites to work their land for six years and then "drop" or "let rest" the land on the seventh year (Ex 23:11). The Israelites were to leave it unattended, untilled, fallow. Likewise, the figures "open your hand to" and "shut your hand against" use the verb shāmat. Closing the hand indicates keeping the debt of someone. Opening the hand is remission of debt or alms for someone in need or giving a loan to someone. In Deuteronomy, the Lord commands that people must "open the hand" to help the poorer segment of the population, though the year of debt release (every seven years) is soon to occur. The person making the loan would not receive much from the person who received the loan since there would be only a few months left until release, but God commanded the people to extend loans anyway and He would bless them (cf. Dt. 15:1-11). The Niphal form means "to be cast down," "to be precipitated," "to be thrown down," as a rock cast down and shattered on the ground, which is the fate of the wicked (Ps 141:6). The Hiphil form means "to release," "to remit," used again to describe the actions required of Israelites at the time of the seven years' rest, when debts were to be remitted of fellow Israelites: "Of a foreigner you may exact [the loan] again: but that which is yours with your brother your hand shall release" (Deut. 15:3). (Complete Biblical Library Hebrew-English Dictionary) Shamat - let it rest(1), let go(1), release(2), threw her down(1), throw her down(1), thrown down(1), upset(2). Ex 23:11; Dt. 15:2; Dt. 15:3; 2 Sa 6:6; 2 Ki 9:33; 1 Chr 13:9; Ps 141:6; Jer 17:4 Fallow (left)(05203)(natash/natas) means to abandon, to forsake, to leave alone. In the present context it means to abandon and not use for a period of time. So that - Term of purpose. The purpose of the Sabbath Year. Bush - During that year the corn-fields were neither sown nor reaped. The vines were unpruned, and there were no grapes gathered. Whatever grew spontaneously belonged alike to all, instead of being the property of any individual; and the poor, the bondman, the day-laborer, the stranger, the cattle that ranged the fields, and the very game, then left undisturbed, could assert an equal right to it. In short, during this year, the whole of Palestine continued a perfect common (Lev. 25:1–8), and in order to render this law the more sacred, it was not only termed ‘the year of the Sabbath,’ its sabbatism or resting being declared holy to the Lord, but even the vines, as if under a vow, were called ‘Nazarites’ to which a knife must not be applied. Comp. Lev. 25:5, with Num. 6:5. The needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat - The poor could eat what grew from the unplanted fallow ground. God even cared for "wild animals" that they may eat what was left. This edict came from the Creator God who cares for the sparrows (Matt 10:29) and feeds the ravens (Luke 12:24). NET Note on beast - Heb “living thing/creature/beast of the field.” A general term for animals, usually wild animals, including predators (cf. v. 29; Gen 2:19–20; Lev 26:22; Deut 7:22; 1 Sam 17:46; Job 5:22–23; Ezek 29:5; 34:5). Currid points out that "It is unlikely that all Israel celebrated the land Sabbath in the same year. It probably rotated so that some land was left fallow each year, but much was also cultivated. Thus, the poor would be able to gather food each year, not only one in seven."
Êxodo 23
Spurgeon - They were in heart murderers of others, and they became in reality self murderers. Doubt not that virtue lengthens life, and that vice tends to shorten it. NET Note is interesting - No one will die prematurely; this applies to the individual or the nation. (ED: THEY DID "DIE" PREMATURELY! - NORTHERN 12 TRIBES INTO ASSYRIAN IN 722 BC AND JUDAH INTO BABYLON IN 586 BC) The plan of God to bless was extensive, if only the people would obey. Rayburn - As often elsewhere in the Bible (the NT as well as the OT) food, health, fertility, and long life are promised as the blessings of a life of faithfulness to God’s covenant. This, of course, needs to be set side by side with the Bible’s honest acknowledgement of the sufferings of the righteous and the mysteries of life. Still, it was true then and is now that there is much present blessing in following the Lord and living according to his will. Exodus 23:27 "I will send My terror ahead of you, and throw into confusion all the people among whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. NET Exodus 23:27 "I will send my terror before you, and I will destroy all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. NLT Exodus 23:27 "I will send my terror ahead of you and create panic among all the people whose lands you invade. I will make all your enemies turn and run. ESV Exodus 23:27 I will send my terror before you and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. LXE Exodus 23:27 And I will send terror before thee, and I will strike with amazement all the nations to which thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies to flee. KJV Exodus 23:27 I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. NIV Exodus 23:27 "I will send my terror ahead of you and throw into confusion every nation you encounter. I will make all your enemies turn their backs and run. ASV Exodus 23:27 I will send my terror before thee, and will discomfit all the people to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemies turn their backs unto thee. CSB Exodus 23:27 "I will cause the people ahead of you to feel terror and throw into confusion all the nations you come to. I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you in retreat. NKJ Exodus 23:27 "I will send My fear before you, I will cause confusion among all the people to whom you come, and will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. NRS Exodus 23:27 I will send my terror in front of you, and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. YLT Exodus 23:27 My terror I send before thee, and I have put to death all the people among whom thou comest, and I have given the neck of all thine enemies unto thee. my terror: Ex 15:14-16 Ge 35:5 De 2:25 Dt 11:23,25 Jos 2:9-11 1Sa 14:15 2Ki 7:6 2Ch 14:14 throw into confusion: De 7:23 backs: Ps 18:40 Exodus 23 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries OBEDIENCE TO GOD BRINGS DIVINE VICTORY These I WILL promises (notice "I will" 11x in 9v in Ex 23:22-31) are contingent upon Israel's obedience described in Ex 23:25. When Israel obeyed, God would be like a Warrior against her enemies. “The LORD is a warrior; The LORD is His name. -- Exodus 15:3+ This promise is a foreshadowing which will be fulfilled in Jehovah's victory over Israel's enemies in the Time of Jacob's Distress, the last days of the 3.5 year Great Tribulation when Zephaniah's great description will become a reality for the nation of Israel... “The LORD your God is in your midst (SPEAKING OF THEIR MESSIAH), A Victorious Warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. (Zephaniah 3:17+, read Zeph 3:18-20) I will send My terror ahead of you - God would lead the charge. The omnipotent God would be in charge of the terror! This hearkens back to and is associated with Ex 23:22 "I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries." NET Note says terror "has the thought of “panic” or “dread.” God would make the nations panic as they heard of the exploits and knew the Israelites were drawing near." The best commentary on this is the description in Exodus 15:14-16+ "The peoples (pagan nations, Gentile nations) have heard, they tremble; Anguish has gripped the inhabitants of Philistia. 15 “Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed; The leaders of Moab, trembling grips them; All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away. 16 “Terror and dread fall upon them; By the greatness of Your arm they are motionless as stone; Until Your people pass over, O LORD, Until the people pass over whom You have purchased. Alan